Chronicle Editor
DHAKA. — Speakers at a session in Bangladesh capital Dhaka have stressed the need of cyber safety for children to reap the benefits of the Internet. The session, held at a leading English press medium here on Sunday, is part of an initiative which Bangladesh’s largest cell phone operator, in partnership with BRAC, the largest global NGO, launched to make the Internet safer and more secure for everyone, especially for children.
Beginning in September 2017 till now, the programme engaged over 50,000 students in more than 240 schools across the country, said a Grameenphone press release. Grameenphone Chief Executive Officer Michael Patrick Foley said: “Access to Internet and youngster’s ability to use it confidently is very important as the world is in the midst of a digital revolution. Therefore we are trying to aware school children around the country to learn the skills to be safe on the Internet and use it responsibly.”
“As a school, it is our responsibility to protect and guide our students which only can happen through dialogues. We have been talking about Internet safety for some time now with parents,” said Sabrina Shahed, principal of Sir John Wilson School.
“Today’s initiative is a first of its kind and we are thankful to Grameenphone for taking the lead which will make our students more conscious of the dangers and smarter in using gazettes and technology.” In Bangladesh, a survey conducted by Grameenphone’s parent company Telenor of students who have Internet connections have found that half are likely to encounter cyber bullying or unsafe online situations. Before this year’s program, Grameenphone said it reached 80,000 children in 500 schools across Bangladesh with BRAC through activations in schools and distribution of guidebooks on the safe and responsible use of the Internet. – Xinhua
Online Reporter